Big plans in the works for Calgary’s Kensington Legion

WATCH: The city’s largest legion says a new development will ensure its survival. Branch 264, The Kensington Legion, has fallen on hard times as an aging membership shank so did its revenue, but now it has a new lease on life. Gary Bobrovitz reports.

CALGARY – The Royal Canadian Legion on Kensington Road N.W. could be getting a new lease on life thanks to a new partnership with a development company.

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The Legion and Truman Development Corp. are moving ahead with plans to update the No. 264 Legion and add mixed-use development along Kensington Road near 19 Street N.W. Plans call for two new buildings: one a modern Legion that would include two floors of commercial office space and another, taller building that would contain retail and residential space.

The Kensington Legion dates back to 1953 and has one of the largest memberships in Canada, but like other legions, it is struggling to remain a vital and viable organization as the number of veterans declines.

“This partnership is an opportunity to establish a new home for the Legion that meets our current and future needs, while also allowing us to stay in the community that has been our home for over 60 years,” said Mark Barham, chair of Business Operation Trustees for Legion No.264 in a statement.

This is the third redevelopment plan for the Kensington Legion in three years – the last deal, with Streetside Developments, collapsed earlier this year because of a dispute with the city over the $1.5-million price tag for a strip of municipally-owned land.

Both the Legion and Truman Development hope it’s a case of third-time luck.

“Truman is proud to partner with local Canadian veterans to achieve an innovative new model of community-building between the development industry and social organizations like the Legion,” said George Trutina, president of Truman.

Truman and the Legion are asking for input from the public as the project moves ahead. Calgarians can visit a mock storefront on the development site from July 17 to Aug. 29.